Eco-friendly Dentistry

The foundation of our dental practice is not only made up of our dedication to humankind and their oral healthcare but it is also made up of long term affects of overall healthcare. People are only as healthy as the planet they live on. Our efforts toward an eco-friendly dental practice are at the forefront of every decision with regard to the equipment we use to perform procedures, the types of solutions use to clean our utensils as well as our office, and the process of keeping patient records up to date.

Technological advancements have helped significantly with addressing ecological concerns and we are pleased to announce several ways we have taken steps toward a healthier planet which in turn means a healthier people. One of the many significant ways we have moved forward with an eco-friendly practice is through our use of Digital X-Rays.

How amazing would it be if a Dentist could effortlessly look into your mouth and see the internal and external anatomical structure during the diagnosis process? This can now be done within seconds and with minimal radiation exposure. Our Digital X-Rays allow us to do just that. The former methods involved a series of x-rays, the development process in a darkroom full of chemicals, and then we had to view the films on a special light board. Not anymore.

This new approach outmodes traditional methods through use of a digital “sensor.” A tiny sensor is briefly placed inside the mouth and performs much like a VCR camera; only it’s actually a chip and is sensitive to x-ray rather than to light. The process is less invasive and patients are exposed to 50%-90% less radiation compared to past imaging procedures.

The immense detailed images are instantly transferred to computer screen where they can be manipulated and analyzed with scrutiny. We can enlarge the image, rotate it, color code it for educational purposes, and store it as a computer file. This eliminates the need for paper files and the wear and tear that comes with more traditional imaging technology.

In addition to Digital X-Rays there are many examples of how we are improving our dental practice while keeping ecological progress at the forefront of every business decision. We are now using digital charts for each patient to decrease the use of paper thereby saving more trees. Only environmentally friendly safe cleaning methods are used when cleaning office and supplies. We have now moved to wrapping instruments with a surgical grade cloth rather than disposable plastic or paper. Another great advancement in technology which allows us to dispose of old mercury fillings without contaminating our water system is new state of the art filtration system.